NYR asking for $3M state subsidy to keep WolfPack in Hartford for 2 more seasons

[GindyDraws]

Mods, just kill this thread.

 

[royals119]

the ECHL has no franchises available after Elmira was terminated AND Alaska was bought by Spectra, so research please before you respond

The ECHL has a stated goal of getting to 31 teams, with a 1:1 affiliation with the AHL/NHL. If someone has the money, a building lease, and a solid business plan, the ECHL will grant them an expansion team. I don't think Utica would have any trouble joining the ECHL if it came to that.

Mods, just kill this thread.

If you don't like the thread, don't read it. It's not like there are 1000 active threads in this forum.

 

[Major4Boarding]

Despite all the territorial pissing matches that occur here, Albany is still an option in the rotation of the AHL franchise merry-go-round.

That said, the usual derailing posts on topics here have yet again warranted moderator intervention. We'll keep the thread open, for now, but if no one can carry decent discussions here, it'll be closed.

No donations required

 

[Tommy Hawk]

I don't care how many times you trot it out, your premise that "it's okay if you have a crappy fanbase if your arena is tiny but you darn well better fill every last seat if you have a large arena" is completely nonsensical. Apparently the best way to become an ideal AHL market in your eyes is to knock down our existing arena and put up a cute little 4,000-seat bandbox like they've got in Utica. Whatever.

And that's why Albany is relevant to this discussion. Whether the peanut gallery likes it or not, Albany is on the short list of likely destinations should the Rangers decide to pull out of Hartford. Perhaps certain parties shouldn't howl in protest every time the capital of New York State is mentioned if they don't want those threads to devolve into yet another discussion as to why Albany ought to have another shot at the AHL.

Bribery, you say? Interesting...

I have NEVER EVER EVER said anything about filling the large arena. I have said the attendance in Albany has always been crap and that is PROVEN. And those teams with the smaller arenas are higher in attendance than Albany. And Milwaukee has about the same metro area as Albany and draws better and they also had a big arena. Milwaukee also has 2 major league teams, unlike Albany.

Now, with that being said, There are many places the Rangers could go besides Hartford. Albany, Manchester, Worcester, Portland, basically any of the places that had been prior AHL locations.

Despite all the territorial pissing matches that occur here, Albany is still an option in the rotation of the AHL franchise merry-go-round.

That said, the usual derailing posts on topics here have yet again warranted moderator intervention. We'll keep the thread open, for now, but if no one can carry decent discussions here, it'll be closed.

No donations required

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

I would say Albany needs to do what Utica, Syracuse and Providence all did. Take a 20 year break and then you will have a whole new generation of fans to draw from.

I can't comment much on Utica except they have a D3 college squad. Not sure they share the arena or not but when Syracuse and Providence returned that was a long time ago where still there wasn't a massive entertainment options of alternatives to attending a game in town.

 

[go comets]

I can't comment much on Utica except they have a D3 college squad. Not sure they share the arena or not but when Syracuse and Providence returned that was a long time ago where still there wasn't a massive entertainment options of alternatives to attending a game in town.

The comets do share the building with the div 3 team. But the comets have control of the building. The ahl left Utica in 1992 and returned in 2013-14

Syracuse had two Ahl teams in the 70s for one season each, the ahl returned for the 92-93 season.

Providence had ahl from 1936 untill losing it's team in 77, ahl returned in 92-93.

Like I said above, sometimes a break is needed.....

 

[Nightsquad]

The comets do share the building with the div 3 team. But the comets have control of the building. The ahl left Utica in 1992 and returned in 2013-14

Syracuse had two Ahl teams in the 70s for one season each, the ahl returned for the 92-93 season.

Providence had ahl from 1936 untill losing it's team in 77, ahl returned in 92-93.

Like I said above, sometimes a break is needed.....

The problem in Albany is that the fan base was already done with the Devils back in 2010. The only people in the Albany area who wanted a Devils owned team were Devils fans themselves. There are more Bruins fans in that area then there are Devils fans. When the announcement came the Devils were coming back the former owner of the River Rats came out and extended an offer to the Devils to keep the River Rats identity alive and well, Devils snubbed the offer. For the next three straight seasons the Devils iced a team the average ECHL club could compete with. The

Rangers AHL club won't be the magic cure but Albany provides an easy location, the arena provides excellent facilities, including a county owned hockey training facility located next to airport in the suburb of Colonie, 15 minutes from downtown. The built in NY sports, Ranger fan base plus the casual fans many believe Albany would do quite well. Only a few years under former management the Devils blocked at attempt by the Rangers to move to Albany. The Devils were asked to voluntarily end their arrangement with Albany, to which they refused. Why do you think the Wolfpack has been on short term agreements in Hartford? The Albany and Ranger marriage may or may not come to fruition but many would like to see it happen, and for that reason the discussion is very relevant.

 

[UticaHockey]

The problem in Albany is that the fan base was already done with the Devils back in 2010. The only people in the Albany area who wanted a Devils owned team were Devils fans themselves. There are more Bruins fans in that area then there are Devils fans. When the announcement came the Devils were coming back the former owner of the River Rats came out and extended an offer to the Devils to keep the River Rats identity alive and well, Devils snubbed the offer. For the next three straight seasons the Devils iced a team the average ECHL club could compete with. The

Rangers AHL club won't be the magic cure but Albany provides an easy location, the arena provides excellent facilities, including a county owned hockey training facility located next to airport in the suburb of Colonie, 15 minutes from downtown. The built in NY sports, Ranger fan base plus the casual fans many believe Albany would do quite well. Only a few years under former management the Devils blocked at attempt by the Rangers to move to Albany. The Devils were asked to voluntarily end their arrangement with Albany, to which they refused. Why do you think the Wolfpack has been on short term agreements in Hartford? The Albany and Ranger marriage may or may not come to fruition but many would like to see it happen, and for that reason the discussion is very relevant.

Do you have sources for any of the stuff that you post such as the blocking of the Rangers from coming to Albany? You constantly post things like you have inside information which with out sources is just hearsay and rumors.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Does the Hartford arena have restrooms on the concourse level?

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Does the Hartford arena have restrooms on the concourse level?

Research XL Center, DD

 

[Devils Dominion]

Research XL Center, DD

I'd rather hear it from someone who's been to that arena.

Believe it or not, in Albany you actually have to walk down a flight of stairs just to use the restroom.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

I'd rather hear it from someone who's been to that arena.

Believe it or not, in Albany you actually have to walk down a flight of stairs just to use the restroom.

there were never any Hartford posters here, DD, really, to guage that true interest about XL, AND THOSE THAT DID, are no longer here or technically involved in that franchise "insider" INFO you asked for, specifically...

tbth, I'm not even sure there are Hartford posters on AHL Fans, as much as that board exists, but you could ask there....

 

[210]

Does the Hartford arena have restrooms on the concourse level?

Yes...

 

[210]

there were never any Hartford posters here, DD, really, to guage that true interest about XL, AND THOSE THAT DID, are no longer here or technically involved in that franchise "insider" INFO you asked for, specifically...

tbth, I'm not even sure there are Hartford posters on AHL Fans, as much as that board exists, but you could ask there....

Asking where the bathrooms are is looking for "insider information"?

 

[HWP1997]

there were never any Hartford posters here, DD, really, to guage that true interest about XL, AND THOSE THAT DID, are no longer here or technically involved in that franchise "insider" INFO you asked for, specifically...

tbth, I'm not even sure there are Hartford posters on AHL Fans, as much as that board exists, but you could ask there....

Wrong. I'm a Hartford fan and I look at this board daily.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Wrong. I'm a Hartford fan and I look at this board daily.

I mean specifically, HWP

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

Ya still gotta provide your sources, even if it is in a PM to the board mods. I have done that before.




And their bosses are supposed to be verifying those sources and this board is not a news outlet. You post something on here, you gotta back it up to the bosses.

You say that part but either those people aren't doing that, their bosses are incompetent or they just don't care to begin with. Either of those takes being the verdict is interesting I suppose.

 

[wildcat48]

Is there even a source or a link? I've simply just seen one tweet.

 

[go comets]

Who runs the off ice side of things with the Wolfpack​?? Is it the Rangers, or is it set up like Utica and Bingo where locals run the off ice side of the team??

 

[g00n]

Thread closed for review.

As a reminder, all claims of insider information MUST be vetted by moderators.